Puri MP Pinaki Mishra has courted controversy for allegedly offering money to journalists and violating a parliamentary code of conduct

The issue of cash being distributed among journalists at Wednesday’s press conference of Puri MP Pinaki Mishra is snowballing into a major controversy.

Mishra is also chairman of Parliament’s standing committee on urban development.

The two major opposition parties in Orissa — the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — have decided to take the issue to the public, saying they won’t tolerate any attempt to belittle members of the fourth estate.

They have also accused Mishra, who was addressing the news conference, sponsored by a public sector bank at a posh hotel in the temple town, of violating the guidelines issued by former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee for the “tours of parliamentary standing committees”.

The guiding principles, among other things, strictly prohibit taking favours from any public sector organisation and using five star hotels.

“The MP has not only humiliated the media but also violated the code of conduct set for such committees,” said BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma.

He said if Mishra does not apologise, the party would launch a state-wide agitation.

Similar sentiments were also issued by state Congress president Jaydev Jena who said Mishra’s behaviour was unbecoming of an MP and reflected the character of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) which has been winning elections by distributing liquor and money.